Habs sign Weise to two-year contract

Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin announced on Tuesday that forward Dale Weise has been signed to a two-year contract that will take him through the 2015-16 season. The deal will pay him $1 million per season.

The Canadiens acquired Weise from the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 3 in exchange for defenceman Raphael Diaz. In 17 regular-season games with the Canadiens he posted 3-1-4 totals, giving him 6-10-16 totals in 61 games overall. In 16 playoff games with the Canadiens, the 25-year-old Weise had 3-4-7 totals, including two game-winning goals.

“The acquisition of Dale Weise contributed to the success of our team this season,” Bergevin said in a statement on the team’s website. “A young veteran with a lot of character, Dale is an intense player with a strong work ethic. We’re very pleased to have him as part of our team moving forward.”

Said Weise on the team’s website: “I’m so excited to be coming back to Montreal. I think everybody knows that I’m very excited to be a part of the Montreal Canadiens. This is where I want to be. To get a deal done so early in the summer was big for me. A two-year deal gives some nice security for me and my family. I’m really looking forward to getting back there and getting back at it.”

Weise added: “When I got to Montreal, Michel Therrien had a one-on-one meeting with me right away. He said that even though he didn’t know a lot about me, he knew after the first couple of games that I could be a guy who could make a difference with my speed. He told me not to be a guy who was content with just chipping the puck in and chipping the puck out. He said I could do more, and that he believed in me. I think that’s the biggest thing. Right from the get go, he believed that I could do more than just chip the puck out and chip it in. Just having that confidence that he instilled in me really went a long way.”

The Winnipeg native was selected by the New York Rangers in the fourth round (111th overall) at the 2008 NHL entry draft. He is coming off a one-year, $750,000 contract and could have become a restricted free agent on July 1.

Weise was one of four restricted free agents GM Bergevin had on his agenda. The others are P.K. Subban, Lars Eller and Ryan White.

Captain Brian Gionta and defencemen Andrei Markov, Francis Bouillon and Mike Weaver are all slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

If we were just looking to ditch salary, maybe, but the draft by most accounts is relatively shallow this year. And love him or hate him, we need Rene Bourque more than another long-term prospect a la Louis Leblanc.

And in that case, you’ve got an odd mish-mash of pieces: a young goalie that would only be attractive to a rebuilding team, and a veteran winger that would probably be most attractive to a contending team with a lot of cap space.

Nashville is open to trading draft picks for good, preferably young, roster players.

But outside of that, the only teams I could see being even remotely interested in parting with their picks are:

#3 – Edmonton (might be willing to deal, but it is going to cost you a LOT)

#5 – New York Islanders (might be willing to deal, but they will want good roster players that can play now plus Montreal’s #26)

#8 – Toronto (don’t see them dealing this unless they are getting a star in return)

#10 – Anaheim (maybe…but they want a #2 centre in return…Spezza?)

#13 – Washington (maybe…they are rumoured to be looking for a veteran back-up for Holtby, so perhaps Bourque, Budaj, the #26 and some other asset?)

#16 – Columbus (maybe…but Kekalainen and Davidson value draft picks, so you’re going to overpay in any deal with them)

Makes sense…the number is already retired so it costs the team little.

Toe Blake’s #6 is overdue…I’m pretty sure Douglas Murray won’t mind.

And Aurele Joliat, whose #4 was co-retired in 1984 and then inexplicably disappeared from the retired numbers, belongs back in the list. Jean Beliveau emphatically won’t mind if a previous great of the franchise has this wrong reversed.

So this Daniel Carr character……that one kind of flew under the radar for me and I never really looked to hard into it. I didn’t realize he was the leading scorer on the div 1 national championship team….he is 22 and is 195 lbs…so he is not small although only 5’11.

I was pissed to see Vail go. I think he has the smarts ot be na NHL palyer nd the frame…he just lacks the power (lanky build) adn will take a little time but I think he will someday make it myself..maybe notuntl he is 23 or 24 years old but I wsa shocked and disappointed when they let him go.

Carlyle had issues with Lupul in Anaheim, and he was traded out of there. Carlyle comes to T.O. and Lupul is already in T.O. They apparantly worked things out and all was good. Then Lupul started missing games down the stretch with various injuries.

Methinks the relationship between Carlyle and Lupul is a bit strained again. Concur he isn’t worth the 1st round pick, but I do expect Toronto to try and trade Lupul. He went from fan favourite to a bit of a whipping boy among the fans at the end of the season, or at least amongst the Leaf fans I know.

The point would be that someone like Moen costs 1.8 and Weise is basically his replacement. You could signTootoo for a fraction of the cost and only dress him when necessary and he would be happy to just not be in the AHL anymore. He may be a middleweight but like Prust he will go anyone….he is a guy the HAbs crowd would get behind. Weise is sure to be back, Prust is always hurt and White and Moen got no time in the playoffs and appear ont eh outs….so they will likely acquire someone of this ilk…may go bigger but at least Tootoo can play a regular shift if need be…and like I said he will take on all comers.

I think the team needs to replace Parros/Murray somehow…so somewhere somehow they are gong to need scrap heap prices for likely two tough guys who will play sparingly btu save us against he usual suspects, Boston, PHilly, Toronto and Ottawa. A guy like Tootoo will come at league minimum. Someone definitely needed….rather not see Weise have to fight Lucic. Tootoo cannot handle Lucic and shoudln;t fight him but if someone has to I’d rather it be someone like that rather than Prust or Weise,etc

I’d take Rechlitz in a heartbeat but no chance it happens cause he sucks at hockey.

I honestly think Habs will not do anything to replace Parros – lets all be honest here – he was quite useful during that first game against Toronto up until Orr judo flipped him onto his face on purpose and that was the end of him – he provided zero value after that.

If it were me – I’d either get a replacement heavyweight and spend what it takes to get him (Gadzic, Bordeleau, Peluso) or I’d add top 9 player who can take care of themselves – Antoine Roussel for example.